


Intertwined

by missssmon



Series: Orbit [4]
Category: Twosetviolin, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Attempt at Humor, F/F, F/M, Family, Gen, M/M, Military Backstory, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:54:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25702390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missssmon/pseuds/missssmon
Summary: A series of first and last meetings.Side stories to the Orbit series.
Relationships: Eddy Chen/Brett Yang, Eddy Chen/Toni Wei
Series: Orbit [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1786672
Comments: 18
Kudos: 28





	Intertwined

**Author's Note:**

> Can you tell I like the Orbit universe a lot? 
> 
> I thought about the characters I had to reduce to background imageries and scenes that I did not get to write much about, or at all. Also, have been reading a lot of fics that have a series of stories ongoing after the main plot and I wanted to do something similar for Orbit, hence this was born. This is also my excuse for writing from different POVs. I like the exercise. 
> 
> This fic would best be understood if you had read the Orbit series.
> 
> This is a series of first and last meetings. What kind of first and last meetings are open, to your interpretation. Each meeting is written from one person’s POV. 
> 
> Note: Due to certain descriptions of certain scenes, this fic is rated for teens and up. 
> 
> @tyrelingkitten Thank you for the constant support. I finished this earlier than expected. :D
> 
> This story is not meant to be read by the people mentioned in this fiction. Unbetaed.

  * **Beginning of a Romance**



"Alex, my man," Eddy muttered over a mug of beer, as he gestures to the room full of young girls and boys that are definitely way, way, younger than both of them. "When you say host a conservatory party, are you sure you only invited people from the conservatory?" He takes a chug of his Heineken and shakes his head. "Some of them look like they are barely high schoolers." 

"Eddy, listen." Alex loops a hand over Eddy's shoulder and pinches his fingers together in a focused manner, trying to make a point. "All I did was send invites out. I have no control over who comes." He is drunk, his face flushed, and Eddy is not sure if Alex knows he could get arrested for hosting underage parties if the police do barge in. "And besides, there are people from school!" He swerves his hand a bit too violently to the next room, staggering as Eddy puts a hand on Alex's back to hold him still, just as packed with people. Eddy barely remembers that Alex has managed to fill his maze of a mansion with people, some from school, some not from school, some from Eddy and Alex's workplaces, and random strangers just crashing in on what would be Brisbane's most happening party on a Tuesday night. They did graduate the year earlier, which makes naming these parties _conservatory_ parties even more ridiculous, but it is not up to Eddy to decide what they should be named.

He is really here for the Heinekens, his friend Alex, and because he has gotten bored at home from editing videos. Brett is also too far away for him to annoy currently. 

Eddy thinks of Brett's trip home in two weeks and smiles contentedly to himself. There is the new episode of _N_ _aruto: Shippuden_ that he has been saving to watch with his best friend. 

His thoughts kind of stumbled itself, when a body lurches towards him, and Eddy backs up almost immediately, holding the person with two hands and blocking them from falling further. He looks to his sides and realizes that Alex has gone off to greet another friend, acquaintance, he does not know at this point, at another corner of the room. He thinks he sees Alex getting really cozy with the person he was talking with, and not wanting to intrude, Eddy trains himself back at the speck of fallen hair in front of him, which does _not_ remind him of Sadako from the string of The Ring horror movies. He was barely able to control his yelp and inwardly cringed. Brett would definitely do better with these socializing events than he does.

"Oh my, sorry!" a soft voice muttered, and Eddy's hands were empty. A girl was holding her friend upright, and he blinks as the words 'pretty' flashed through his mind. "My friend had too much to drink." The girl swipes her friend's long hair backward and tucked them around her ears. Kind of how the shape of her own head looks like. "Can you help me get Rosa to a chair?" 

"Oh yes, of course! I'm Eddy." Eddy reaches out to Rosa's other arm, and he and the girl brought her to the side of the sofa. Rosa turned to the armrest, closing her eyes. The girl sits down next to her and shakes her head. 

"Thank you so much. I'm Toni." she offers a hand, and Eddy shakes it. Her hand is small and smooth, not that Eddy is trying to be a creep. 

"I hope she feels better." Eddy sits down on the table across Rosa and Toni, and he takes another sip of his beer. To his dismay, there was not much left. He looks at Rosa and sees most of the liquid splashed over her shirt. Toni coughs a little loudly, and Eddy's eyes went back to her as he finishes his mug.

"I called a cab, we will go home once it's here. Thank you so much for your help again." It was pretty clear she wants to end the conversation. It was also pretty clear, Eddy still does not want to end the conversation.

"I drove." Eddy tucks his hand in his pocket, flashing out a set of keys. "I'm here because of Alex, and I don't know anyone else. I can take you girls home." A look flashed across Toni's eyes, and Eddy does not know if he stepped on a live wire. 

"It's alright," Toni answers firmly, and her hand reaches out to hold Rosa's defensively. A sign for Eddy to back off. "We will be fine." 

"Ah-okay." Eddy backpedals, very uncertain of what to say. 

"Hey Toni, what happened with Rosa?" Alex popped up out of nowhere, a hand on Eddy's shoulder as he peered closely at the drunken girl. "Her shirt is soaked with beer!" 

"Did she?" Toni blinks and looks at Rosa's shirt, and glances at the empty mug in Eddy's hand. She grabs some tissues hastily from the box next to Eddy and starts dabbing on some stains.

"Orchestral stress, or the boyfriend?" Alex nudges Eddy to move over, and he does, putting his mug down. Alex sits down, hand still on Eddy's shoulder. Eddy's briefly looks around for the person Alex was having his little rendezvous with, but Toni started speaking, and Eddy does not want to be rude. 

"Bit of both. She thinks her cello is nowhere as good to be named principal." Toni rues as she tosses the tissue into the nearby bin. Eddy offers her the tissue box and she grabs it without saying anything, pursing her lips in concentration. Eddy shapes out the rosebud shape of her lips in his head, somewhat charmed.

"Well, that is something in common with my friend here. Eddy gotten a few scholarships at school, and still thinks he is only good to be the second violin." Alex claps Eddy's shoulder a bit. "So mate, Toni and Rosa here are in their last year in the conservatory. Toni plays the flute, principal. Rosa plays, well, as you may have already heard, the cello, and principal too. Eddy here plays the violin. Currently with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra." 

Eddy sees Toni's eyes round, and she blinks, suddenly a bit flustered in between tissue wipes. "You are that Eddy Chen. I have heard a lot about you."

"I'm... me!" Eddy answered a bit too loudly, a bit embarrassed. Toni laughs demurely, so he thinks he must be doing something right. He hears Alex snickering in the background. "I am a nobody, I just like to play the violin and watch anime when I am not slaving away in an orchestra." Toni smiles even wider, and he feels his heart flutter. 

"You are really great. Everyone my year knows about how you took time off and still passed your finals with excellent scores." Toni nods in affirmation. "We," she gestures to herself and the sleeping Rosa, "are very inspired by you." 

"I'm impressed too, that you both got principals. Those positions are tough to get." Eddy answers; Brett may have gotten the first violin once, or twice, and concertmaster with the symphony too. He was further out, but he did get concertmaster with The Opera Orchestra in conservatory, he can relate. He thinks he sees Toni flushes. 

_Nakushita Kotoba_ plays out of nowhere, and Toni pulls out her phone to pick it up. "Oh, hello? Oh, yes, yes. We are ready to go." Eddy briefly summarized that was Toni's phone ringtone. She ends the call and nods slowly, suddenly a bit shyer. "I'm a big fan of Naruto." 

"Me too! I am up to date with Shippuden right now!" Eddy smiles broadly, and Toni’s eyes shine in recognition. He stands up hastily and wipes his palms on the corners of his pants. Alex stands up as well. "I can get Rosa to the car." 

Hooking Rosa's arm around his shoulder, Eddy moves the sleeping girl out the door. Toni walks behind him, and Eddy suppresses the intense urge to turn back and show off to Toni. He deposits Rosa into the back of the car when Toni opens the door, and puts a seatbelt over her sleeping figure. After that, Toni slips in beside her friend, and Eddy waves before reaching for the door handle. 

"Oh wait. Can I have your number? We would like to reach out when Rosa is sober and buy you a beer for the mishap we caused." Toni's words are a little rushed, but Eddy grins broadly. He gives his number, and Toni types it down on her phone. Then she waves, and Eddy shuts the door. 

His phone buzzes after a minute, and Eddy pulls it out to see the unknown number's message. " _This is Toni. Thank you again_." 

Eddy goes back to the party, and Alex teases him at the door. Eddy grabs another mug of Heineken and suddenly feels the night is turning out to be a lot better. 

  * **The Recruit**



“Akita Hikaru!” The commander cried, and Hikaru runs into place, stomping his foot and yells at the top of his voice.

”Present!” He tips the length of his fingers to the side of his head in salute and stands still as the commander goes down the list of new recruits. 

Being a soldier is far from Hikaru’s aspirations, hell, he has never touched a gun before all of this. Being plucked out of the family to serve and honor the country was really not in his mind, but the country was in chaos and his family’s name was at stake. Hikaru was lucky he got to choose the country he wanted to go to, and he picked the one closest to home.

Taiwan.

After several successes with the First World War and the two Sino-Japanese Wars, Emperor Hirohito has been emboldened to spread his army across the world. Many of Hikaru’s peers got sent to other countries, to fight in the war and conquer more lands for the Empire of Japan. Hikaru is not interested in wars and fighting enemy countries, nor does he think he has the capacity to, but he can do good with strengthening the Japanese base while practicing some fun shooting, per his commander. Taiwan is a good pick. 

Even if Hikaru is among the youngest recruits in the battalion and some of the other soldiers are old enough to be his father, he feels a small sense of contentment and relief.   
  
There was a lot of adjustment from being a musician to a soldier; waking up at unsightly hours for training for guerrilla attacks and the like, shooting guns at the vast green field with makeshift targets and practicing his aim even as the loudness of the shells rings at his musically trained ears, lots of running and heaving around the field. His favorite moments of the day are his rest breaks, the nighttime after the lights are out as he gets to work on his next piece, and the sunrise when he wakes up, as the bright sun reminds him of Kyoto, and of another new day beckoning. Hikaru is positive he can continue his music learning when he returns to Kyoto, whenever that may be. 

He could not adjust to the discomfort he gets when he patrols with his usually funny and great friends, who sticks their bayonets into the stomachs of ailing people on the streets and calls them names. When he eats his breakfast, lunch, and dinner, he puts his hands together and says thank you earnestly for the toiling of the Taiwanese farmers who sweated and gained nothing for his stomach fullness. He dares not voice his thoughts on wanting to treat the people they should be protecting better; his commander had glared at him the first time he tried to give some bread to a hungry woman. Several of his peers grabbed it back, spat on the bread, and stepped it into mush before throwing it into the ground. He sees the lady's eyes change from hopeful to spite, and he had to look away when the lady reached out for the bread as if she had not eaten in days and this was still the best she could get. When he asked why they did that, they just muttered that the Japanese people are superior and can treat other people such.

He was uncomfortable, but Hikaru is a soldier now, and a man. The commander makes sure to drill these thoughts into them as they go into random villages and make their pick of the fair maidens. The girls are even younger than him, and he was barely 21.

Hikaru never participated, choosing instead to guard the door and flushing out the pained wails and cries into pieces in his head. No one ever opposed them, and the soldiers did what they wanted. He sears the memory of the bloody scenes they leave behind in his brain and wakes up in the middle of the night, sweaty, and guilty. He barely sleeps as is, with the limited hours between his night till the break of dawn. Complaining is for the weak, so his commander says, so he stuffs the emotions inside his head and into his music. The idea of superiority does not agree with his mind, signals dissonance deep inside his bones, and he writes them down in notes and rests, seeping out the toxicity for his sanity. 

He was in Taiwan for three months when the commander got an order to bring in musicians from Japan to entertain the current war general. Some local musicians are also included in the orchestra as part of an attempt to integrate Taiwanese and Japanese culture together.   
  
That was the first time he saw anyone Taiwanese who did not look starved or dying by the streets. He realized that within the Taiwanese social pyramid, some people have survived to curry the Japanese favor and are living more comfortably than most. He puts in a request to guard the court and be a part of the orchestra advisory team and was approved considering his background and his history of reluctance to comply with his peers when on the streets. Some soldiers laughed at him for being so god damn honorable but Hikaru was only glad to be away from the atrocities.

His first day at the job, he saw a double braided girl in her blue skirt and white blouse standing next to her father and bringing him lunch as they engage in some sort of discussion.

She gave him a look and scoffed, and was promptly reprimanded by her father, who immediately bowed in humble apology. He thinks that they probably thought he was the rest like his battalion, cold and seeking respect all the while. He nods in dismissal and sees the man relax.

He bit his lip and continues his stand by the corner, as the girl continues to chatter with her father, completely ignoring his presence, and the rest of his comrades, really. He can feel himself sinking into the wall, weak and helpless, and way she had stared at him, that cold and careless expression, plucks into the tightly held strands of his heart. She really is the first person to have shown contempt openly towards him, and the administration. He feels that his escape is futile, and the judgment is still on his head. The reality sinks in that he is part of the cruelty just by association.

  * **Restaurant Seats**



“What does ‘cha mean I cannot get this seat?” Andrea glared, eyes shooting lasers as she stretches her head further out, hands gripping in fists to her side.

”It means, ma’am, this table is reserved.” The shoulder-length hair strawberry blonde girl answered calmly back at her, as she lifts the plaque that says it. “Not all tables in this restaurant are free for your choosing.” Her eyes are firm, professional, and nowhere near intimidated, even if her hair and ringed fingers show off a sense of fun. 

”Mate, let’s pick another table.” Brett tugs at her arm. “The whole restaurants empty. We have seats to pick.”

”Cha really think cha can be rude like that to me though?” Andrea lifts an eyebrow challengingly, not backing down. “Gonna report to ‘ur boss.”   
  
The employee, whose tag name says ‘ _Amanda_ ’, takes in a deep sigh and rubs her temples. Andrea’s eyes flared and Brett’s hand tightened around her arm in caution. 

“Ma’am, I am only following rules. If the reservation gets canceled in half an hour, then you can have the seat.” 

“We’re waitin’.” Andrea tugs Brett and goes to the waiting lobby, plops her ass down on the bench and stares squarely at the employee, who is looking at everywhere else but her.

”What is your problem.” Brett murmurs, pulling his phone out to look at the time. “Won’t it save time if we just get another table? Rehearsals starting in an hour.”

“She’s a _violist_ ,” Andrea muttered under her breath, but with the way she regularly bellows, it was anything but. Brett blinks at this piece of information.

”Now I do recall seeing her among the violists' line.” Brett squints at the hostess. The same year as them, the second viola. “Why are you saying it as if you have a bone to pick with her? You play the cello.”

Andrea keeps glaring, ignoring him. Brett follows her trail of sight and something clicked as Amanda smiles warmly to a couple, made some small talk, and patiently directed them inside.

“... You wanted to see her.” Brett strokes his jaw in contemplation, and he shakes his head in realization. “We weren’t going to come to this restaurant for lunch in the first place.” 

Andrea did not answer to his statement nor did she move, eyes trailing Amanda as she returns to her post. Brett rolls his eyes and stands up.

“I’m leaving, Andrea. I’ll see you in rehearsal when you’re done being silly and just go talk to her like a normal person.” Brett puts his violin case behind his back and walks out the door. He chances a final look at his best friend.

Andrea remains seated, her eyes slowly moving back to Brett pleadingly. " 'U don't leave mates, yeah?" 

"No, you are right. I do not." Brett agrees, mind made up. He walks up instead to Amanda, who’s standing behind the reception desk, and takes a deep breath, as opposed to Andrea's cries of ' _what the fuck_!'. Amanda looked at him in confusion. She turned to look at Andrea, who had managed to chase up to Brett, and her eyes flash in panic.

Andrea rushes forward, gripping the reception stand with some strength as Brett reaches into his pocket. “Gimme your phone number!” She cries before Brett can say anything. She shoves a finger at Brett's direction to say no more and turns back to Amanda. Brett pulls out his hand to show an imaginary pen and grins cheekily. From her stare, he knows that he had managed to fool Andrea. She glares, and he motions to Amanda, in a _what are you waiting for?_ look. She clenches her teeth at him and clears her throat at her. “Uh, hi. I’m Andrea?” 

Amanda tilts her head to a side, a lopsided smile surfacing beneath her lips as she watches them both. “I know who you are, cellist. I’ll give you my phone number. Isn’t that easier than hounding me at my part-time job and dissing my job performance?” 

Brett tilts his head at Andrea's direction, appalled, and amused as his friend's face turns increasingly crimson. “This wasn’t the first time?” 

Amanda takes a pen from her breast pocket and writes down the series of numbers into a napkin, before passing it to Andrea, whose face is framed in a mixture of shyness, bedazzlement, and disbelief. She leans towards Andrea and whispers coyly, blinking her eyelashes a few times. “Call me later.” 

“Amanda, please get us a table. Anywhere is fine. I’m starving and Andrea here will treat as gratitude.” Brett announces, and Amanda laughs. He does not think Andrea is next to him anymore, gone off to the deep end with the procurement of the coveted digits. A glance at his peripherals confirms this. Brett resolves to buy himself an expensive lunch. 

“Yes please, this way.” Brett drags Andrea a little forcefully to keep up with Amanda, as they go inside the restaurant. 

"Thank you, I am starving."

  * **The Best Friend (TM)  
**



Toni breathes a little heavier when she notices the one and only Brett Yang coming in through the main entrance, and Eddy gives him a hug. As agreed, Eddy is going to introduce her to his best friend, when Brett stops by Brisbane, and Toni sits up straighter when Brett puts down his violin case on a chair. 

He notices Toni and waves; she waves back a bit hesitantly. Brett sits down on the dining table, right next to his violin, right across from Toni, and Eddy stands between them.

”Brett, meet Toni. Toni, meet Brett. My girlfriend, and my best friend I’ve known since I’m 13.”

"H-hello." Toni greets him, a little shy, and a little mix of awe and admiration. Brett Yang is well known in the conservatory, for his violin achievements. Her whole year had listened to their professors wax and wane about Brett, who is now with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Brett meets her eyes and smiled warmly, the twinkle in his eyes matching the vibe of his lips. His aura is very comforting and puts Toni into much ease. She smiles wider, her fists that had been clenching on her lap slowly easing. "I'm Toni, I have heard a lot about you in school, and from Eddy."

"Everyone hypes me too much, especially Eddy here," Brett answers humbly, and he leans forward on his chair, his fingers laced together on the table. Eddy takes out three large similar-looking bubble teas from the plastic bag on the table, passing them to Brett and Toni, before he sits down on his chair and pokes a straw into his cup. 

"You only say those things because you know no one is better than you in our year," Eddy jibes, as he swirls his bubble tea and sucks on a bubble. Toni pokes a straw into her cup and was a bit surprised at the sweetness of it; she blinks and looks at her boyfriend, who was poking Brett's side as Brett sips on his bubble tea as well, evading Eddy's tickle best as he can. 

"It is only practice. Thank you for the bubble tea, just the way I like it- stop! Your girlfriend's here, that is embarrassing!" Brett's pitch raised a bit, and he frowns his eyebrows at Toni, who chuckles softly. She stirs her bubble tea quietly as Eddy puts his hand around Brett's neck, locking him in a gridlock. She sees how Eddy is usually so gentlemanly, so funny and stable around her, and around Brett, his bubble of comfort just bursts into thin air. Brett continues to struggle, putting his bubble tea down on the table as his hands reach out to Eddy's side. 

Huh, she did not know he is ticklish.

Eddy stops before Brett even reaches the cloth of his shirt. Eddy puts his palms up in surrender and Brett smiles smugly as he takes his bubble tea in hand again. Brett stares at Toni and his face gradually flushed red as he takes a deep sip into his drink. Eddy reaches out for Toni's hand and grasps it, interlacing their fingers together. Toni looks back at Eddy adoringly, and her boyfriend grins widely. 

"You are mean to Brett," Toni teases, as she takes dainty sips of her bubble tea before placing it down on the table. While Toni does like large size bubble teas, her preference in taste is usually 50% sweet, 20% ice, and the cup was getting colder with each second she is holding it. She put it past Eddy to be sweet and surprise the three of them with bubble tea though. She makes a mental note to tell Eddy later on her preferences. 

"My own girlfriend is swayed by my best friend," Eddy dramatically cries as Brett lifts an eyebrow at him, sucking his bubbles at rapid speed. She sees that his (large!) cup is almost halfway done, and Eddy is not far behind. 

"That's because you decide to act like a child instead of being normal." Brett rubs it in, joining the teasing as well. He seems to have recovered from his prior embarrassment as he winks at Toni, who responds in kind. "So, are we filming today?" 

"...Maybe later, yeah?" Eddy suggests, his eyes getting a bit shifty. Toni raised an eyebrow, suddenly not quite sure what is going on. Eddy starts sipping his bubble tea very, very, quickly.

"Toni, will you be okay chilling in the background?" Brett asks, his voice suddenly concerned. Toni blinks and looks at him. "We never really filmed with an audience before..." 

"...what filming?" Toni blurts, confused, and surprised at the same time. Eddy had told her Brett is coming over to _hang out_. She looks at Eddy, Brett doing the same as well, tilting his head in confusion as well. 

"We're not filming?" Brett frowns. 

"What are you filming?” Toni questions. What is Brett talking about? 

"I did not get a chance to tell her about it yet," Eddy confesses. 

"Dude, you guys have been going out for some months," Brett shoots a look at Eddy, a mix of anger, and was that _disappointment?_ Toni feels the aura emanating off Brett, strongly, as if there was something else he was already upset at Eddy for and this added up to even more. "We have been around for a while." He motioned towards Eddy and himself, his voice coming out slow, resigned, and controlled. "Our duo is called Twoset Violin. We have a Youtube channel, and we are working on it as a part-time project to promote the love of classical music." 

"Babe, why did you not say anything?" She asks. 

"Sorry, dude... I really just hadn't had the chance to tell her, we were in the honeymoon phase and sorry babe, I was enjoying spending time with you so much these past few months I forgot to mention it.” Eddy answers sheepishly. Brett heaves out a deep sigh, and Toni feels it reverberate in her bones, like something is terribly, terribly wrong. She knows Eddy senses it as well. "Babe, would it be alright if you watch us film some song covers today?" 

"Yes, of course. I want to see my two favorite alumni play the violin!" she can talk to Eddy later about what he had not told her, and why is Brett so upset. Maybe get her boyfriend to talk to Brett privately or something. For now, she clasps her hands together in wonder and flashes a smile. "I heard that you, Brett, got invited by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra right out of graduation!" 

Like a moon covered in a temporary mist, the motions of the wind slowly blows the clouds away, revealing its bright sheen. Brett breathes in and out to himself quietly, and Toni feels mirth bursting out of his demeanor. The wave that was floating around earlier temporarily, tucked and locked away. 

"That is an exaggeration. I joined SSO a year after graduation." Brett gave a small smile, one that does not quite reach his eyes. "I think the professors flatter me too much." 

"Bro..." Eddy wraps a hand around Brett's shoulder, squeezes it in acquiesce. "To make it up to you, I have the ideas on what we can play." 

Brett turns to Eddy, unamused, but the flicker in his eye is back, and Toni feels relief washing over her whole body. "You always pick the songs." 

"And you go with me because I'm your best friend!" Eddy rubs his cheek against Brett's neck, smiling and laughing again. 

(Later, when Brett berates Eddy for not asking what type of bubble tea Toni likes before buying, he also tells her that he does not listen to pop music, but Eddy does, so he just goes along with it. Toni sips the overly sweet, highly condensed by now drink and think that she just goes along with Eddy as well because it is just how charismatic of a pull Eddy has. Toni chuckles when Brett deadpans at Eddy over something they were discussing. She thinks Eddy is her sunshine, but perhaps it is better to say that it is theirs.)

  * **Roundabout Kick to the Shin**



Of course, it is a bad idea. 

Of course, it is a _very_ bad idea.

Of course, it is a very, very bad idea, that the more Brett repeats it to himself, the more he walks closer to the bar. 

He is in Sydney, where the number of people that comes in and out of this city doubles that of Brisbane, if not more. The gay bar is located in a secluded area of downtown Sydney. The entrance is obscure in itself, looking like a small hole in the wall, and the only indication that it was a bar would be the huge, menacing-looking bouncer at the second door inside.

Brett is not a regular. It was not hard to locate the bar and go in, however. The bar has a solid reputation among the gay community and Brett was able to pinpoint the location by surfing the Internet with VPN and checking on certain forums. Brett had been careful not to expose his sexuality to his orchestra mates, family, everyone he knows, and he does not plan to change it anytime soon. 

He had first looked up the bar by a means of curiosity; the first time he is in a city all by himself, independent, adulting, seeking his own sexuality, _lonely, pining_. It was definitely a lot to take in that certain emotions hit one harder when they are away from the comforting cradle of familiarity, and Brett had resisted the chinks in his armor, protected his vulnerable spots. Maybe moving to Sydney had been a bad move when Eddy failed to get in, but deep inside Brett knew that he still wanted to come and see the big city. Being a part of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra is a dream that one can only imagine, and Brett was disappointed that Eddy is not with him, but he is not a fool to let go of such a prestigious golden ticket.

The same weekend Toni and Eddy visited, on the pretense of visiting him but not really, Brett understands. 

Just like how coming alone to Sydney is a bad idea. Just like how leaving Eddy alone in Brisbane is a bad idea. Just like, how, perhaps he had attributed to Eddy meeting Toni and them ending up together. That last part did not make sense to Brett, perhaps, they would have met even if Brett had stayed in Brisbane, but. It was a bad idea to even like his best friend in the first place. Of course, Brett would be one of those people who do that and puts his whole heart on a platter to be smushed into pieces. Maybe he is not making sense and everything is just a domino effect of bad ideas one after another.

The number of people huddling through the door was indicator enough, that he is at the right location. Brett did not stop shaking when he enters the second door and stands as calmly as he can while the bouncer sizes him up and down. He gets his ID checked, a stamp on his wrist, and Brett was inside. He is not sure why his heart is pumping so fast, telling him not to do this, but perhaps this is one of those times when Brett did not care to think about instinct and he just wants to feel something else besides this intensity that is eating him up inside. 

The bar does not faze him; Brett has been to a lot of bars and parties, it did not look any too different from a regular one. He goes up to the counter, orders a beer, looks around the bar. Brett's heart racing, telling him that perhaps, this is a bad idea and he really should step out. He smoothes his shirt down, breathing heavily as he thanks the bartender and tips him. He nervously drinks his beer, swallows, and feels the burn down his throat. He came so far. Brett is not backing out of this. He thinks of the stabbing in his chest from Eddy leaning in to kiss Toni's cheek, to how their fingers intertwine as they walk in public, Brett trailing behind. He does not think he will ever have that. 

"So, you're alone tonight?" An Asian man with dark eyes, sweeping long hair, and a fairly firm build sits down, clearly having seen Brett's searching signal. He flags the bartender and asks for a drink. Brett looks back and forth. There is no one else at the counter, and he takes a deep breath. 

"Yeah, I am." Brett nods. _In all sense of the word._ The man smiles wilfully, a fairly bright one amongst the dimness of their surroundings, flashing crooked teeth. Brett begins to consider that it is not so bad an idea after all if he can run his imagination along. He orders more alcohol.

  * **Tiny Gift**



She sits on the hospital bench, her feet tapping impatiently. In front of her, her son is pacing back and forth, biting his lip as he clasps his hands. Her daughter in law has been in the ward for three hours now, Caesarian surgery. An old superstition says, how the babies are born will denote how they will be like character-wise in life. Her first grandchild was easy, she remembers. Daughter-in-law Yang barely broke a sweat, natural delivery. The calm young boy sitting beside her was a testament to that. Of course, though, not all pregnancies are the same. Grandma Yang recalls her own delivery of her son before hospitals were as modern as now and Caesarian was not an option. She gives thanks in her head for being alive. 

They knew that they are expecting a boy; the tummy shape, Daughter-in-law Yang's eating habits, and pure instinct had all indicated so. Boyao's name has been picked for him before he is even born. Her heart drums against her ribcage, as her son stops pacing and runs to the door. The indicator lights have gone off, signaling the operation is over. The doctor comes out, cradling a tiny bundle in his hands. 

"Mr. Yang, the mother and son are safe." She breathes a sigh of relief, slowly standing up from her bench as she walks over to her son's side. The doctor passed the baby to his outstretched hands, and she sees her son coo at the baby. He lowers his legs to show his son the expression of his new baby brother, and they both give out equal sounds of adoration. Her heart beats even faster, seeing the tiny rosy cheeks and closed eyes. _Boyao_. 

"Ma." Her son calls and he hands over the bundle. Grandma Yang grins, shaking as she receives. She remembers shaking when she held Boyao's older brother as well, a few years ago. Young babies are so tiny, so fragile, so light. She intercepts Boyao and held him protectively, angling her arm so that Boyao will be comfortable. The baby opens his tiny mouth and makes a small grunt. Her heart blossomed with much endearment, and she lifts a finger to lightly caress his cheek.

Daughter-in-law Yang is asleep when she gets rolled out of the ward, nurses fussing over her wellbeing. They watch her bed turn around a corner from the door, and disappear down the passageway. The doctor motions that they will let the family know when they can visit her, and a nurse approach Papa Yang to take care of entry paperwork, and another reaches out to take Boyao again. 

She heaves in a deep sigh and sits back down on the bench, waiting for the next instruction. Grandson Yang sits down next to her as Papa Yang walks away to the reception, and he tugs at her yellow blouse. 

"Grandma, he's so tiny." his eyes are round with wonder. 

"Yes dear, he is." she agrees, watching tentatively into the section of the walls where she hears Boyao crying in a distance. 

"Is he hungry?" Grandson Yang asks, and she purses her lips.

"In this case, he could be hungry, since he is just born. However, you must remember that there are many reasons a baby would cry. They could be hungry, they could feel uncomfortable, and maybe they just want attention. Sometimes, they just need additional oxygen to breathe." She pats her grandson's shoulder. The cries subside after a while, to be substituted by the hustle of the hospital.

"I am a big brother now." Grandson Yang decreed. "I have to take care of my baby brother."

She chuckles, and she pats his head. "You have more responsibility now. Do you think you can handle it?" The cherubic looking boy looked at her and nodded sagely. 

"Yes, grandma, I think I can." 

"That's my boy." She smiles and brushed his hair even more for good measure.

Her son comes back with some papers and directions to Daughter-in-law Yang's room, as well as the nursery. They follow him to see the baby as his wife is still on anesthesia and not expected to wake up anytime soon. They stood outside the glass wall as Boyao was placed into a cot, next to all the other newborns. Boyao's eyes are bright and alert, and she is mesmerized. Beside her, father and son swoon in quiet delight. 

  * **Starlight, Starbright**



Maybe it had happened even before their trip to Japan. Or maybe it was there all along, but regardless, Eddy was sure that it was this particular Japan trip where he begins to see his best friend in a new light. 

Sometimes he notices Brett's mind whirling when he works, his perfectly shaped fingers when he practices, and the width of his smiles when he is happy. Eddy lost count of how many times he has avoided staring at those eyelashes, the reminder of the up close glimpse of Brett's sleeping visage. 

And yet, sometimes, even with much avoidance, Brett and he are connected in some way, and he could not help but feel all the anxiety radiating from Brett as they sat in the waiting room, for their scheduled meeting with Hilary Hahn. Eddy is as anxious as Brett, this is _the_ Hilary Hahn after all! and still, he knows that Brett has a soft spot for the virtuoso that exceeds his. Brett is shaking next to him and wiping his palms on the thighs of his jeans. 

"Dude, do you think, she will be disappointed after meeting us?" Brett whispers so that only Eddy can hear him. Hilary Hahn's meeting coordinator is across the room from them, talking on the phone and nodding to something being said. They had so much courage, answering when she had reached out to them, wanting to be part of their concert, and now it is all slowly sizzling in thin air, like eggs being cooked on the pavement under a hot summer's day. The palpitations and waiting are too real, he can hear the seconds from the clock ticking on the wall alongside Brett's heartbeat next to his. 

"No, mate." Eddy glances over at Brett, and lightly reaches over to squeeze Brett's hand. Static feeds through Brett's hand to his. He swallows and lets go. "I think just be ourselves and we should be fine." 

Brett does not say anything about his action, too frazzled by their prospective meeting, but he shuffles closer to Eddy. They wait in terse silence, and Eddy makes the mistake of glancing over Brett's expression, those fluttering eyelashes. 

"Ms. Hahn will see you both now," the coordinator announces, and Eddy sits up straight, feeling Brett does the same next to him. The door opens, and Hilary Hahn walks in. Eddy is not sure anymore if Brett's heartbeat suddenly sounded louder than the clock ticks, or if it was his own. 

Regardless, they both stood up from the couch, and Hilary Hahn graciously smiles, shakes hands with both of them. She signs autographs for them and tells them to call her by Hilary, Ms. Hahn is too formal and only her coordinator does it because they want to stay professional, but really, she does not care. Eddy is awed by her humility and her friendliness and warms up to her almost instantly. 

They set up the recording section for the videos they have discussed over email, and recording goes very well. Eddy nudges Brett to be in the middle so he can be closer to his idol, and converses with Hilary smoothly. Brett is the extrovert between them, but he finds it amusing that Brett is unable to even keep his eyes on Hilary for longer than five seconds straight. From Hilary's eye twinkle, he can see that she notices the singularity as well. 

They recorded a few videos, to be edited and uploaded on their channel later. Hilary thank them for the opportunity to have some fun amidst her busy schedule, and Eddy brightly smiles and says thank you for participating in the recording. Brett whispers the same thing, but really, he is looking at the wall behind Hilary when he said it. Hilary clasps both of their hands warmly and promises to see them in Boston soon. Brett’s face pales from all the close interaction, and Eddy does not object when Brett asks to grab some bubble tea after. 

Later that evening, when they are safely tucked back in their hotel, Eddy is looking over the footage they filmed earlier on his laptop when Brett in pajamas clambers into Eddy’s bed, rests on the headboard. It was a single bed, and it was already small enough for Eddy, but Brett seems content to stick close and watch Eddy work. 

”Did I stutter a lot?” 

“We met Hilary Hahn, dude.” Eddy answers. “Anyone would stutter in front of her.”

“It is still settling in that we met her.” Brett admits, and Eddy sees the starry eyed look on his face. “She’s been such a big part of our violin adventures.”

”Yes, she has.” Eddy clips his laptop shut and chucks it by the side of his bed, pushing himself backwards so he’s leaning on the headboard as well, next to Brett. “We met so many musicians in our adventures, already. Ray, Sumina, Sophie, maybe next time we can meet Janine Jensen.” 

“Dude.” Brett breathes, face turning slightly pink, and Eddy laughs out loud. “We are living the dream. This weird and unattainable and yet real, dream.” 

Weird, and unattainable, and yet real, dream. Eddy’s mind echoes, and he glances over at his friend, who had bunched the blanket to his neck, looking so adorable it hurts inside. He should wake up, Toni’s on the other side.

Brett smiles at him from his blanket fort and Eddy forgets to breathe. “Thanks, dude.” 

Eddy is not so sure if he wants to, at least for tonight. 

  * **Bonus: Navarra**



Toni has gotten used to the pandemic, to wearing masks, to the social distancing. She has spent time volunteering making masks for those who needs it, and in this new normal, slowly adapting. 

Her Youtube channel is going well, her merch is selling, and in spite of the world going round like an unmanned rocket she has found some ground. Life is quiet and calming, and Toni thinks she is thriving just fine. 

She is scheduled to meet with some volunteers today, to pass on her latest batch of masks. This time around, the masks are going somewhere in Western Australia. She orders her cup of bubble tea and sits by the bench, just sipping and people watching. Toni is ten minutes early, but by admission in the orchestra, it is an occupational hazard she cannot break and did not anyway, it is always good to give great first impressions. She looks around the park, where everyone is masked on. In a regular winters day, there will be a lot of people lounging by the grass and hanging out, enjoying the nice weather before the desert that is Australia’s summer hits. Now, it is all quiet with only a few people around, Toni being one of them. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she notices a familiar figure. Well, the university jacket got her attention first. Bright “PRACTICE” letters imprinted on the back of a tall and firm figure. Make it two, the other one smaller and shorter, with a cap over his head. 

She is at the opposite end of town where her ex lives, and someway or another she still bumps into them.   
  
The duo whispers to each other quietly as they walk down the park path, further away from Toni. It appears they had come up from the side of the road and are making their way to somewhere else. The taller one turns to look at the shorter one, and of course, the familiar side profile of Edward Chen comes into view. Brett Yang looks up at him, their bodies too close together to be anywhere platonic, and they laughed noiselessly at something. 

”Toni?” Melissa calls, and Toni’s attention gets diverted back at Melissa. “Sorry, have you been waiting long?”

”Oh no, I’m just daydreaming. Here’s the masks.” She handles the package over to Melissa, who smiles and grins. 

“Thanks. I’ll send you an email when the masks are all delivered. I’ll see you later. Gotta run!” Melissa waves, following social distancing rules, and leaves the park. 

Toni continues to sit on the bench. She still sees Eddy and Brett: they found a bench quite a distance from her, and the reason she could still identify them is the dots of black and white of their jackets. She already guessed, from watching their videos, the shift in their relationship, but it’s a whole different dimension to see it in real life. Brett leans over to say something to Eddy and she could not see their faces. 

She waits for the jealousy or judgment to come. 

It never did.   
  
She takes a deep breath and sees them both walking her direction. Clearly, they had seen her. 

Brett reaches her faster than she expected, and she sees a hidden smile through his crinkled eyes. 

“Hey, stranger.” 

“Hey, Brett.” Toni grins as well. Brett sits down next to her on the bench, with some space. Eddy hovers around the background, pretending to stand around looking at the trees. “How have you guys been?” 

“We have been well. Just came back from Singapore a few months ago.” 

“I watched your live stream. Congratulations, on two mil.” She feels very much like a fan of Twoset, and her words are very repetitive. She had seen them grow, after all.

“Thank you for your support.” Brett nods. “What are you doing here in the park?”

“I was meeting someone for volunteering work. What are you guys doing here?” 

“Getting some inspiration for our future projects. We had not been to a park in a while.” Brett answers. 

“That’s nice.” Toni comments. 

“Eddy still feels very bad about things.” Brett offers. Eddy is looking at her now, from afar, and Toni sighs. He has gotten even more handsome in the span of almost a year.

“I am happy for you both.” She answers honestly. “I’m over things. Tell him.” 

“...will do.” Brett promises, and she can tell he understood her implication. She still trusts him, and in another lifetime, if Eddy was not in the picture they may have become best friends. “That said, we have to go. Catch up some time?” 

“Maybe not,” Toni answers, and she heard Brett’s hum of understanding through his mask.

“We wish you all the best.” He stands up. “Goodbye, Toni.” 

“Bye, Brett. Tell Eddy I said hello too.”

Brett bounces back to Eddy, and they spoke for a bit before looking back at Toni and waving in unison, before heading back the opposite direction they had come. She notices them slowly gelling together while walking, and she shakes her head, thinking that fangirls will definitely have a field day if they see this.

Toni stands up and makes her way out of the park. It has been months since she is single, and maybe she can revisit those dating apps tonight. 

**Author's Note:**

> Beginning of a Romance: Sadako is the girl from the Ring horror movies that climbs out from television with hair in front of her face. [Nakushita Kotoba](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TPYBJUT3XNw), released in 2006, was sung by No Regret Life, and is the ninth ending song for Naruto. 
> 
> The Recruit: Akita is family name, Hikaru is first name. Some details on the [Japanese army](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Army).
> 
> Starlight, Starbright: @KuroNeko414 and @tyrelingkitten both brought to my attention that Twoset had in fact, met Janine Jensen. I had never seen the video until today (August 12th 2020), so my fic will stay as such. This is my totem where canon and fiction splits. 
> 
> Disclaimers:  
> Any inaccuracies are unintended. 100% self-indulgent fic. 
> 
> A/N: The best part of inconsistencies when writing point of view fic is that I can chalk everything up to the unreliability of memories as well as bias towards a character/person. I worried a lot about publishing this, but I guess the best way to get over that is to just publish this. Thank you for reading :)
> 
> Edit (August 26,2020) to correct some facts about Brett and Eddy’s concertmaster statuses in conservatory.


End file.
